Clematis Plant Named &#39;Zo08160&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid Clematis plant named ‘Zo08160’ that is characterized by its very free flowering habit in spring from old wood and in late spring and summer from young shoots, its low growing climbing habit, its light lilac colored flowers with pale yellow stamens, and its cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 6.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to European Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2019/0725 filed on Mar. 18, 2019, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Botanical classification: Clematis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Zo08160’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Clematis of hybrid origin and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name ‘Zo08160’. ‘Zo08160’ is a herbaceous perennial grown for use as a landscape plant.

The new Invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop hybrid cultivars of Clematis with unique and superior garden attributes. In particular, to develop cultivars that are free flowering from old wood in spring and free flowering on young shoots in later spring.

The Inventor made a cross in 2004 between an unnamed proprietary plant in the Inventor's breeding program, reference no. 19960250 as the female parent and reference no. 19990055 as the male parent. The Inventor selected ‘Zo08160’ in 2008, as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood stem cuttings under the direction of the Inventor in 2008 in Boskoop, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by softwood stem cutting has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish Clematis ‘Zo08160’ as a unique cultivar of Clematis.

1. ‘Zo08160’ exhibits a very free flowering habit in spring from old wood and in late spring and summer from young shoots. 2. ‘Zo08160’ exhibits a low growing climbing habit. 3. ‘Zo08160’ exhibits a light lilac colored flowers with pale yellow stamens. 4. ‘Zo08160’ exhibits cold hardiness at least to U.S.D.A. Zone 6.

The female parent of ‘Zo08160’ differs from ‘Zo08160’ in having double flowers in the spring, flower colors that are pink with dark purple stripes and flowers that are smaller in size. The male parent of ‘Zo08160’ differs from ‘Zo08160’ in having flowers that are white in color and much larger in size. ‘Zo08160’ can be most closely compared to the Clematis cultivars ‘General Sikorski’ (not patented) and ‘Paola’ (not patented). Both are similar to ‘Zo08160’ in having flower color and plant habit. ‘General Sikorski’ differs from ‘Zo08160’ in having flat tepal margins and filament bases that are pale violet in color. ‘Paola’ differs from ‘Zo08160’ in having flat tepal margins and spring flowers that are double or semi-double.

STATEMENT DESIGNATING A GRACE PERIOD UNDER 102(b)(1)

The Applicant claims prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date if need be. Information about the claimed plant was obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor; including but not limited to disclosures on websites by J Van Zoest, Thorncroft, Taylors Clematis, Dobbies, and Clematis on the web.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Clematis. The photographs were taken of a two-year-old plant as grown outdoors in a 2-liter rose container in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of ‘Zo08160’ in bloom in spring.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the summer flowers ‘Zo08160’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a cross section of a flower of ‘Zo08160’.

The colors of the photographs are as close as possible with the digital photography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Clematis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of two-year-old plants as grown outdoors in 2-Liter rose containers in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions, as the cultivar has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—4 to 6 weeks in spring and throughout             summer when pruned after spring flowering in The             Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Deciduous woody perennial, blooms on new shoots             and old wood.         -   Plant habit.—Low growing climber.         -   Height and spread.—A three-year-old plant reaches an average             of 2 m in height and 0.75 m in width.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zone 6.         -   Diseases and pests.—No disease or pest problems have been             observed, however susceptibility to Clematis wilt (caused by             Phoma sp.).         -   Root description.—Fleshy, N167C and NN155D in color.         -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.         -   Time required for root initiation.—Roots develop in 6 weeks             in summer under greenhouse conditions.         -   Time required for root development.—90 days to fully develop             a 7-cm container from a 5 cm cutting.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Round with 6 ribbed angles.         -   Stem color.—Young; N77B, mature; 166A to 187A.         -   Stem size.—Up to 2 m in length, 3 mm in width.         -   Stem surface.—Young; densely pubescent, villous at the tip,             mature; sparsely pubescent with short hairs.         -   Internode length.—Up to 11 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong and slightly flexible, cracks at a 25°             angle.         -   Branching.—From the base. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf division.—Ternate.         -   Leaf size.—Up to 18 cm in length and 14 cm in width.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf fragrance.—None.         -   Leaflet shape.—Ovate.         -   Leaflet size.—Up to 7 cm in length, up to 4 cm in width.         -   Leaflet base.—Side leaflets; suboblique, terminal leaflets;             subcordate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acuminate.         -   Leaflet venation.—Slightly reticulate, both surfaces match             leaf color.         -   Leaflet quantity.—3.         -   Leaflet margin.—Entire.         -   Leaflet surface.—Upper surface; sparsely hairy, veins             densely covered with short hairs, lower surface; glossy and             densely covered with short hairs.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper and lower surface; 146B, mature             upper surface; 147A, mature lower surface; 147B.         -   Petioles.—Up to 9 cm in length, 1.5 mm in diameter, N37C and             N77A in color, round and slightly canaliculate in shape,             curled to straight aspect, just slightly connate by means of             ribs from the petiole that touch each other on the stem             base, surface pubescent.         -   Petiolules.—Rounded in shape, 137C in color, curling to             straight, terminal leaflet up to 4 cm in length, side             leaflets up to 1 cm in length, 1 mm in diameter, surface             pubescent. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary or a 3-flowered dichasial cyme.         -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Terminal and axillary on young             shoots.         -   Inflorescence size.—Up to 15 cm in length, 15 cm in width             and 5 cm in depth when a 3-flowered cyme.         -   Peduncles.—Up to 4 mm in length and 2 mm in width, 146A and             166A in color, round to very slightly ribbed in shape,             surface pubescent, strong.         -   Pedicels.—Up to 8 cm in length, 2 mm in diameter, 146D,             tinged N77A in color, round in shape, surface pubescent,             strong.         -   Flower buds.—Upright, ovate in shape, acuminate apex, obtuse             base, up to 5 cm in length and 1.7 cm in diameter, 143D,             slightly tinged N77B, surface densely pubescent; less             towards the base with villous seams.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness of the flowers.—Individual flowers last up to 7             days.         -   Flower quantity.—Average of 50 flowers per plant 3 years in             age.         -   Flower type.—Spreading.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright.         -   Flower shape.—Round and slightly star-shaped.         -   Flower size.—Up to 10 cm in diameter and 2 cm in depth.         -   Flower sex.—Bisexual.         -   Receptacle.—146B in color and 4 mm in diameter.         -   Bracts.—Simple, lanceolate in shape, up to 4 cm in length             and 2 cm in width, acute apex, margins are entire, cuneate             base, venation is reticulate, both surfaces sparsely             pubescent and slightly glossy, color; upper surface 146A,             lower surface 146B.         -   Tepal number.—8 on spring flowers, 6 on summer flowers.         -   Tepal shape.—Broadly elliptic to ovate.         -   Tepal aspect.—Flat and overlapping.         -   Tepal apex.—Acute to acuminate.         -   Tepal base.—Cuneate.         -   Tepal margin.—Entire, spring flowers distinctly wavy, summer             flowers short wavy.         -   Tepal surface.—Upper surface; glabrous, lower surface;             pubescent and almost velvety, center is densely pubescent.         -   Tepal color.—Spring flowers upper and lower surface when             opening and fully open; 93D, 94C, N88D tinged 77B in the             middle near the base, summer flowers upper and lower surface             when opening and fully open; 92B and 155C in the middle             towards the base.         -   Tepal size.—Up to 5 cm in length and an average of 3.5 cm in             width. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Covered by outer stamens, average of 50 pistils,             up to 1 cm in length, ovary; 143C in color and pubescent,             style; NN155A in color, plumose up to ⅔, upper ⅓ glabrous,             stigma; straight to slightly bent in aspect, 145D in color,             glabrous surface.         -   Androecium.—75 to 100, filaments; up to 1.1 cm in length, 1             mm in width and linear in shape, surface is glabrous, 145D             in color, anthers; 6 mm in length, 1 mm in width, linear in             shape, and 145D in color, glabrous surface, pollen; 4D in             color and abundant in quantity, connective; straight in             aspect, surface is glabrous and 145B in color, tip tinged             N186A in color.         -   Seed.—Seed head; up to 4 cm in diameter, half orbicular in             shape, 50% of the pistils might set seed by open             pollination, seed; average of 25 per seed head, 4 mm in             length and width, 71A, strongly tinged 144B in color,             pubescent, seed style; up to 2 cm in length, 144B in color,             surface 164D in color, seed stigma; thin and 200A in color. 

It is claimed: 1: A new and distinct cultivar of Clematis plant named ‘Zo08160’ as herein illustrated and described. 